|
The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Los Angeles and asked of all candidates for this office.
See below for questions on
Most Important Issue,
Constituency vs. District,
Management/Budget Experience,
Health Care Costs,
Standardized Testing
Click on a name for candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
 |
1. What is the single most important issue facing LAUSD today? As a Board Member, what would you do to deal with it?
|
Answer from Isabel Vazquez:
In the last four years I have seen serious problems become worse with catastrophic consequences for the students of LAUSD. I have seen the withering away of programs and support systems for students most in need, many of them whom live in my board district: loss of custodial, clerical and support staff, nurses, librarians, reductions to programs like music and art, early childhood, and education and career training for adults. I will seek a moratorium on new, unfunded and unproven initiatives and excessive student testing and redirect resources to restore vital services and support to local schools. I will also work proactively to change funding priorities in Sacramento to ensure public schools are fully funded.
Answer from Robert D. Skeels:
The obsession with standards and punitive testing brought on by No Child Left Behind and its descendants Race to the Top and Common Core State Standards, have perverted and warped curriculum. LAUSD must bring balance back and insist on teaching and learning. This means resisting standardized tests and curriculum, and insisting that our students are provided rounded, culturally relevant curricula.
Answer from Annamarie Montañez:
Inadequate state funding is having the greatest impact on the challenges facing the Los Angeles Unified School District. California is currently ranked 49th in the Nation in per pupil educational spending, this is unacceptable. In order for our schools to be successful, they must receive adequate funding to provide educators with the resources every classroom and student needs. As a Board Member, I would work diligently and aggressively with the State Legislature to revisit the way public education is funded in California. I would partner with other school districts, elected officials and community groups to ensure that this issue is prioritized.
Answer from Abelardo Díaz:
The academic success of our students is at stake. In 2006 the graduation rate districtwide was 72%, now, six years later is 61%. This is not acceptable. The irresponsible leadership of the district and the misinformation given to the public to protect charter schools and to cover the district's mismanagement needs to stop. The stakes are very clear. We can watch the money we devote to our public schools drained by standardized testing and policy decisions driven by one new political scheme after another. Or we can invest every dollar in our students, focus on developing excellent teachers, and sustain the investment we have made in secure, effective public schools that work for everyone.
Answer from Mónica García:
We need to reshape the culture of our schools to establish high expectations. We must believe and work so that every child graduates from high School and is able to go to college. This means we need to give our students the tools they need to get there-- counseling, tutoring, summer supports, college fairs and--most importantly--a rigorous college preparatory curriculum.
|
2. How would you prioritize your local constituency in overseeing LAUSD management, setting District policy, and day-to-day decision-making?
|
Answer from Robert D. Skeels:
District 2 is culturally diverse with interspersed pockets of severe poverty. Prioritizing the local constituency would mean listing to the voices of all the stake-holders, and finding ways to serve students that respect their cultures and attempt to ameliorate the effects of poverty. Making Board meetings more accessible to working class families is something I've advocated for years.
Answer from Mónica García:
We need to make sure we are evaluating our progress with students, that resources are getting into the classroom, and that the schools are safe. We must measure our 3rd grading reading levels, attendance, graduation, and college preparedness. We set the policy and the goals, and we must make sure day to day decisions, have local input, but work towards those ends.
Answer from Abelardo Díaz:
I will open the district budgets for review to the public. I will hold monthly townhall meetings to review budgets, policies and listen to my constituency for changes or improvements that will support our local public schools. I will empower community participation, all stakeholders, by creating local committees to support our local public schools and to make decisions that will support the academic success of our students and increase their graduation rate.
Answer from Annamarie Montañez:
I would plan monthly forums to serve as platforms for the community to discuss and listen to current issues facing our local schools. By ensuring school board meetings are held at times when working parents and educators can attend. And also by moving the location of board meetings to accommodate the constituents throughout the District.
Answer from Isabel Vazquez:
I will seek to change Board meetings so that parents, employees, and constituents who work during the day are able to attend and participate if they so chose. I will listen to parents, students, school site employees and constituents when making major policy decisions that impact instructional practices and operations at local schools.
|
3. What experience in general management, fiscal management, and budgetary oversight would you bring to the job of Board Member?
|
Answer from Annamarie Montañez:
My experience includes serving on an adult school budget committee that determined expenditures of 4 million dollars and aligned money to directly support classroom instruction.
I also coordinated a program for English language learners that brought thousands of dollars of additional revenues that contributed to teacher jobs and increasing class offerings.
Answer from Abelardo Díaz:
I will partnership with non-profit organizations and neighborhood councils to oversee policies and decisions before supporting any budget decisions. All budgets, policies and fiscal management will be driven to support our local schools and our children academic future and success.
Answer from Mónica García:
As Board President during a period of time in which we have lost billions of dollars in reduced revenue I have worked hard with our teachers, administrators, parents and community to make sure we do everything we can to make the best decisions. It has been tough, but we have made it through and need to continue to work together to make sure we have the resources we need to give our children the best education possible.
Answer from Robert D. Skeels:
I work for two small businesses where I am familiar with common management techniques, budgeting, etc.
Answer from Isabel Vazquez:
As the Director of Career Technical Education and Grants I was responsible for strategic planning and performance activities to improve learning outcomes for District parents, adult learners, and in-and out-of-school youth. I managed and monitored multi-million dollar programs and grants, including communication with state and federal offices and staff, budget development, invoicing, program outcomes, staffing, audits, reporting, and compliance. I also monitored and provided feedback on legislation and its potential impact on District programs and funding.
|
4. How should LAUSD deal with its rapidly increasing costs for retiree and employee health care?
|
Answer from Isabel Vazquez:
LAUSD should leverage its position as a regional employer to negotiate fair and reasonable rates from employee health care providers. With other public sector employers, including the City, County and public universities, it is possible to negotiate improved services from health care providers while keeping costs down.
Answer from Robert D. Skeels:
The District needs to work hand in hand with legislators in Sacramento and Washington D.C. exploring sustainable ways of fulfilling our solemn promises to the hardworking professionals that serve our students.
Answer from Mónica García:
There is no question what our schools need, across the country, is a massive reinvestment. The numbers do not add up. We have had massive cuts and we need to restore funding. Yet, I do not support taking away what we have promised our workers. We have lost over $2B in funding over the last few years. We need to restore previous levels of funding.
Answer from Annamarie Montañez:
Revisiting the collective bargaining agreements of school employees to determine new guidelines for newly hired employees.
Bargain effectively with HMOs and health care providers to collaborate on cost saving measures.
Answer from Abelardo Díaz:
LAUSD needs to have an oversight committee who constantly review budgets, spending and the use of public resources at the district level. The issue is the mismanagemet and priorities set by the district and its superintendents not the cost of benefits to the district employees. All school employees + and all workers in our communities + deserve better pay and we want to attract the best professionals to work in LA schools. Teachers need salaries comparable to others with their education and experience. They need time to adequately plan their lessons and collaborate with colleagues, as well as the autonomy and shared decision-making to encourage professional judgment.
|
5. What part should standardized testing play in LAUSD’s educational programs?
|
Answer from Annamarie Montañez:
Test scores should inform instruction, and also pose serious questions to the
quality of instructional pedagogy, curriculum, and operations of a school.
Learning can not happen in confusion, or a void, and we must use assessment data to inform and identify trends and strategies for improvement.
Answer from Abelardo Díaz:
Our public schools are not corporations, and they are not a laboratory. They must be a safe place to learn. And our mission together must be clear: To provide a high-quality education to every student, leaving none behind, and attracting, training, supporting and systematically tapping into the talents of the very best teachers we can. We need to use our resources to drastically reduce class size. We currently have some of the largest class sizes in the nation. This greatly inhibits the ability of our students to learn and thrive. Standardized testing needs to decrease and we need to rebuild and create a well-rounded curriculum with arts, music, electives, and PE. Staff each and every school with increased support service providers such as counselors, psychologists, nurses, and librarians. Educational researches and data have proven that standardized testing has minimun or none effect in educational programs.
Answer from Isabel Vazquez:
I believe that standardized tests should be limited to those mandated by law. Excessive student testing has resulted in a prescribed, narrow curriculum that focuses on the elements of reading and math that will be tested and measured. I believe there has to be a balance between teaching skills and nurturing students' individuality, creativity, and love of learning.
Answer from Robert D. Skeels:
Standardized tests have a ancillary role in helping to guide instruction. Psychometricians and education experts agree that they should never be used for any high stakes decisions that effect students and educators. When used outside of sampling for diagnostics, standardized tests narrow curricula and hamper teaching and learning.
Answer from Mónica García:
Testing is a part of our work. However, we cannot overburden ourselves with testing, and we cannot teach for tests. We must focus on key indicators like, 3rd grade reading levels, graduation rates, drop out rates, and college preparation. Testing is a part of what we do, but student success is the goal.
Responses to questions asked of each candidate
are reproduced as submitted to the League.
The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.
| 
League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
